Tourists attacked by crocodile during night swim in Mexico

Two men have been attacked by a crocodile at a Mexican resort after one went for a night swim and the other went in to save him.

Two US tourists were attacked by a crocodile at a popular resort in Mexico when one went for a night swim in the ocean and the other followed him into the water to help.

The civil defense office in the western state of Jalisco said on Wednesday the first American, age 24, suffered bites to his legs, arm, abdomen and chest at Puerto Vallarta resort, NY Post reports.

The victim’s 30-year-old companion tried to rescue him from the jaws of the reptile and was bitten on the hand.

The office said both men were administered first aid at the scene on Bocanegra beach and were then taken to a hospital for further treatment of their injuries, which did not appear to be life threatening.

Two tourists were attacked by crocodile in Mexico. Picture: Protección Civil Jalisco

Both were injured but survived. Picture: Protección Civil Jalisco

Although several reports said the mauled men were from Colorado, the local Spanish-language news website Noticias PV identified them as Daniel and Joss, both from Illinois. No last names were given.

Crocodiles are a not infrequent sights in the coastal wetlands and shores of the Pacific coast resort of Puerto Vallarta.

In the US, there have been three fatal alligator attacks – a similar looking reptile to the crocodile – this year.

Just over a week ago an elderly woman lost her life after falling into a pond on a Florida golf course near her home.

Last month, a South Carolina man was fatally attacked while standing near a retention pond and in late May, a man was killed while looking for frisbees in a Florida lake.

Alligators have been found in increasingly unlikely places across the country this year, including in an RV park in Midland County.

Midland County is in the middle of the West Texas desert – not anywhere near where alligators are usually found.

This article originally appeared on New York Post and has been republished with permission